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Current Nutrition Reports

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01-09-2018 | Gastroenterology, Critical Care, and Lifestyle Medicine (SA McClave, Section Editor)

From Religion to Secularism: the Benefits of Fasting

Authors: Carla Venegas-Borsellino, Sonikpreet, Robert G. Martindale

Published in: Current Nutrition Reports | Issue 3/2018

Abstract

Purpose of review

Since the early development of human societies, religious beliefs, and practices has been integral to their identity, culture, and social structure, traditions are influenced by the area, era, and culture wherein they developed. Some religions offer advice on behavioral and diet modifications as strategies to fortify the body, purify the spirit, and elevate consciousness. This review is an attempt to compare different practices, describe the health benefits and risks of fasting, and reconcile these age-old recommendations with practical modern life.

Recent findings

Research to clarify and quantify the impact of these dietary modifications is challenging due to the variability in recommendations among various religions and in day-to-day practices.

Summary

Most religions share common goals of well-being, body-mind integration, and spiritual attainment. Historically, the transformational power of fasting periods has been appreciated, but there is still much to discover about the underlying beneficial physiologic mechanisms of fasting in preventing and treating metabolic diseases.

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Title: From Religion to Secularism: the Benefits of Fasting
Authors: Carla Venegas-Borsellino
Sonikpreet
Robert G. Martindale
Publication date: 01-09-2018
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Current Nutrition Reports / Issue 3/2018
Electronic ISSN: 2161-3311
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-018-0233-2

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